There
is no question that diminished expectations
will favor Tuberville's Tigers in 2004.
So, too, should a shift from the meat-and-potatoes,
ball-control offense to a more balanced
West Coast attack. Even though, we ask this:
if Campbell never had the mastery of a simplified
offense, can he learn a complex scheme in
one off-season? Considering that Cadillac
Williams alone had more rushing TDs than
38 D-I teams, there are enough offensive
weapons that the burden will not fall entirely
on Campbell's broad shoulders. Offensive
coach Al Borges "feed 'em the ball"
strategy for Cadillac and Ronnie Brown will
force defenses to stack the line - ergo,
the chance for big plays downfield will
be there. The TE and FB positions will be
key to assuring the balance required. Campbell
should study former Auburn QB Dameyune Craig
to see just how dangerous one's legs can
be while still playing within himself as
a pass-first QB.

If
nothing else, any added versatility will
mean that Auburn will have a chance to come
from behind in games, as opposed to losing
every game (0-5 in 2003) in which they did
not score first. They'll need the offense
to move the chains and stay on the field,
because the inexperience of the front-seven
guarantees at least a couple big mistakes
in early games. Trading Georgia Tech for
Louisiana Tech and national champs USC for
The Citadel ensures that Auburn will devour
more cupcakes than the 322lb McNeil at a
six year-old's birthday party. Unfortunately,
the false confidence following an easy non-conference
schedule will not prepare the Tigers for
hostile road games at Tennessee and rival
Alabama. Auburn should fly under the radar
after an early loss to LSU, but that will
help Campbell quietly lead them into the
Top 20. After the rumors of his firing and
a rocky recruiting season, coach Tuberville
will go for broke, open up the offense when
needed, and should win at a more consistent
pace than in '03.

After
unprecedented hype led to an underachieving
eight-win season during which the offense
scored 10 or fewer points in five games,
a lack of preseason expectations might be
just what the doctor ordered. Even a bowl
game victory and a win over the Tide couldn't
prevent rumors swirling around the Plains
of coach Tommy Tuberville's firing. However,
considering all five losses were to teams
that won bowl games - including both co-national
champions - maybe the Tigers weren't as
bad as their record indicated. Returning
16 starters brings a cautious optimism for
Tiger fans in 2004. Look for more, but with
a revamped offensive approach, expect Campbell's
adaptability to key the Tiger's personality,
and therefore his efforts, more than any
others, will parallel and predict the team's
overall results.

Quarterback
Senior QB Jason Campbell is the unquestioned team-leader,
despite failing to fulfill lofty prep expectations
in his first three seasons. Blame, in part, a
constantly changing offensive system that will
see Campbell work under his fourth offensive coordinator,
Al Borges, in as many years. Campbell's best days
were at the end of 2002, when his mobility led
the Tigers to a 5-1 finish. Since then, his pass
efficiency rating dropped almost 20 points, and
his rushing yards decreased by over 200, even
though he started almost twice as many games.
Campbell has labored to become a textbook pocket-passer
when that is not his natural style. With his 6'5"
frame and speed to elude the rush, his potential
is unlimited if he is used correctly. Borges however,
has already talked about improving the drop-back
game and focusing on play-action, two areas in
which Campbell will have to improve to succeed
in this new "Southern-fried West Coast"
offense. The prototypical style of redshirted
sophomore Josh Sullivan could get him on the field
if Campbell struggles to adjust or succumbs to
injury. Sullivan should get increased face time,
for he is the heir-apparent for 2005.

Running
Back
A major reason for the hiring of Borges was his
philosophy that senior TB's Carnell "Cadillac"
Williams and Ronnie Brown should be on the field
together for 30-40% of the snaps. Tuberville's
best "recruiting" of the off-season
was convincing both former 1,000-yard rushers
to bypass the NFL, providing unprecedented depth
at RB. With Williams and Brown fully healthy in
the backfield, defenses will find it hard to key
on either rusher. The Tigers are so deep that
talented junior Tre Smith (nine career TDs, 5.1ypc)
will be resigned to mop-up duty barring injuries
and senior Brandon Jacobs has debated transferring.
Most likely, the physical specimen Jacobs (6'4",
257) will adhere to Tuberville's advice and make
a position jump to TE. Junior FB Jake Slaughter
will enjoy blocking for whoever is behind him
- his nine touches in '03 could increase, especially
in the pass-happy scheme Borges will employ.

Wide
Receiver
A measly three yards a game separated Auburn from
Arkansas as the worst passing offense in the SEC,
but who can blame them with the talent in the
backfield? At a program where a 500-yard receiving
season makes you the go-to guy, junior Ben Obomanu
and sophomore Courtney Taylor should both exceed
such modest expectations. If Obomanu can build
on his 150-yard performance against Ole Miss while
forgetting his costly endzone drop, his big-play
potential (team-high 17 yards-per-reception) will
stretch defenses to assure Borges' attack is balanced.
All-SEC freshman Courtney Taylor was a model of
consistency, catching a pass in every game. Adding
bulk to his already impressive size will make
him a force over the middle. With a host of upperclassmen
returning, Tuberville will have the option to
go with four and five receiver sets. This area
is evidently key for the new horizons Auburn will
assuredly want to explore - disappointment is
guaranteed if the receiving dimension falters.

Offensive
Line and Tight End
The line that was expected to be a rock had its
underbelly exposed in early losses to USC and
Georgia Tech. Yet, the same line that was written
off came together in the second half to pave the
way for the SEC's second best yards-per-carry
average on the ground. They now return four starters,
including RT Marcus McNeil and TE Cooper Wallace.
Both are two years removed from All-SEC freshman
seasons and at 6'9" 322, McNeil is an immovable
force to follow on the right side. The line should
average a whopping 6'5" 300 and shouldn't
skip a beat at RG presuming heralded sophomore
Jarrod Britt steps in (and up) quickly.

With
the potential to add Jacobs' athleticism to compliment
Wallace at TE, upper-class-depth at every spot
and five-star recruit Leon Hart vying for playing
time, expect this group to be one of the best
in the SEC, both blocking and snarling.

OFFENSIVE
BREAKDOWN
An experienced line, a star backfield, a veteran
quarterback and qualified playmakers at wideout:
there is (no) reason (not) to improve on a 26.3
points-per-game average unless Al Borges
modified West Coast system is simply not the right
fit. But he has helped Indiana, UCLA and Oregon
lead their respective conferences in passing,
and the radical nature of the change alone should
make things more entertaining at Jordan-Hare Stadium.
Take the reins off Campbell by letting his mobility
compliment his accurate passing and the offense
should flourish, especially in the red-zone, where
Auburn was one of the worst in the SEC at only
75%.

TB
Carnell Williams

AUBURN
2004 DEPTH CHARTReturning Starters/Key
Players

OFFENSE

QB

Jason
Campbell-Sr (6-5, 228

Brandon
Cox-Fr (6-2, 196)

FB

Jake
Slaughter-Jr (6-2, 237)

Mike
McLaughlin-Fr (6-2, 226)

TB

Carnell
Williams-Sr (5-11, 204)

Ronnie
Brown-Sr (6-1, 232)
Tre Smith-Jr (5-10, 200)

WR

Ben
Obomanu-Jr (6-1, 193)

Courtney
Taylor-So (6-2, 195)

WR

Silas
Daniels-Sr (6-0, 193)

Anthony
Mix-Jr (6-5, 242)
Devin Aromashodu-Jr (6-2, 205)

TE

Cooper
Wallace-Jr (6-4, 253)

Cole
Bennett-So (6-5, 244)

OT

Marcus
McNeill-Jr (6-9, 340)

King
Dunlap-Fr (6-8, 290)

OG

Ben
Grubbs-So (6-3, 289)

Jonathan
Palmer-So (6-5, 317)

C

Jeremy
Ingle-Sr (6-2, 275)

Steven
Ross-Jr (6-6, 275)

OG

Danny
Lindsey-Sr (6-3, 306)

Jarrod
Britt-So (6-3, 299)

OT

Troy
Reddick-Jr (6-5, 327)

Tim
Duckworth-So (6-3, 308)

K

Philip
Yost-Sr (6-0, 195)

John
Vaughn-So (6-1, 196)

PRONUNCIATION
GUIDE

Ben
Obomanu....OH-BUH-MON-U

Devin
Aromashodu....A-ROAM- A-SHOE-DU

2004
DEFENSE

Defensive
Line
One of the nation's most potent sack units loses
its unquestioned leader in DE Reggie Torbor but
returns enough talent to offset that loss. Three
senior ends, headlined by Bret Eddins and Jay
Ratliff, provide depth and size (both are 6'5")
but lack the speed to create a dominant edge rush.
Ratliff will also have to slide over from right
to left-end, that is unless hyped sophomore Stanley
McClover can beat him out and stay on the field
- eligibility questions have haunted him since
his signing. They may need him on the line, considering
sophomore DT Tim Duckworth and junior NG T.J.
Jackson have zero combined starts and limited
real-game experience. The middle will be a glaring
hole until those two develop, so don't expect
the Tigers to hold teams under 100 yards a game
on the ground again, at least not until the season's
second half.

Linebacker
Considering the strength of the Tigers' schedule,
to rank sixth in total defense in the nation was
a remarkable testament to the best linebacking
corps in the country. Only junior Travis Williams
returns, but with his ferocity and the departures
of Karlos Dansby and Donatarrius Thomas, he should
challenge for the SEC lead in tackles after recording
67 and 10TFLs in his backing role. Another junior
named Williams, Antarrious, adds speed in the
middle, but at only 5'11", the intimidation
factor is no longer there. Senior Mayo Sowell
could fill the gap as an outside run-stopper,
but his best games have been against weaker competition.
Having played in every game should help Derrick
Graves adjust to the weakside; nevertheless, the
pressure to help the middle of the line will make
dropping into coverage that much more difficult
for this inexperienced group. This area's adjustments
and maturity will go a long way and will surely
tell-tale of the team's success and/or failure.

Defensive
Back
The Tigers may have surprised some people by finishing
in the top five in the SEC for pass defense, but
the stat is misleading considering they gave up
more yards-per-pass than ninth-ranked Florida.
The group won't have the luxury of a front-seven
that will constantly pressure opposing QBs into
mistakes. What they will have are both returning
interception leaders in sophomore safety Will
Herring, an All-SEC freshman selection, and junior
corner Kevin Hobbs (three INTs apiece). The best
of the bunch is senior CB Carlos Rogers who, despite
leading the team with eight pass breakups, can
point to his lone interception as a sign of how
rarely teams throw his way. He could even see
time at safety in dime packages to strengthen
coverage across the field. Returning every starter,
as well as depth for nickel and dime packages,
ensures that last year's relative weakness this
dimension represented will now be the defense's
strength.

DEFENSIVE
BREAKDOWN
It will be tough to lose that much senior talent
and still dominate in the SEC, but it is not out
of the question. The linebackers must work out
the kinks in spring drills, or teams will be running
straight up the gut on them all year. The confidence
the coaches have in their cover-corners, especially
in Rogers (who should be [at least] a conference
first-teamer), will allow for more man coverage,
freeing up the safeties to crowd the line with
creative stunting. Defensive coordinator Gene
Chizik likes to blitz, but may have to rely on
it even more to generate some kind, any kind of
pressure. Teams will be able to control the clock
against this unit, but a "bend but don't
break" philosophy and (preventing) big plays
in the secondary should keep scoring down.

LB
Travis Williams

AUBURN
2004 DEPTH CHARTReturning Starters/Key
Players

DEFENSE

DE

Bret
Eddins-Sr (6-5, 267)

Doug
Langenfeld-Sr (6-3, 254)

NG

T.J.
Jackson-Jr (6-1, 304)

Josh
Thompson-Fr (6-0, 295)

DT

Jay
Ratliff-Sr (6-5, 278)

Wayne
Dickens-Jr (6-1, 297)

DE

Stanley
McClover-So (6-2, 252)

Marquies
Gunn-So (6-4, 234)

SLB

Karibi
Dede-So (6-1, 206)

Kevin
Sears-So (6-4, 236)

MLB

Travis
Williams-Jr (6-1, 209)

Mayo
Sowell-Sr (6-2, 225)

WLB

Antarrious
Williams-Jr (5-11, 208)

Derrick
Graves-Sr (6-1, 222)

CB

David
Irons-Jr (6-1, 183)

Montae
Pitts-So (6-3, 203)

CB

Carlos
Rogers-Sr (6-1, 194)

Courtney
Denson-Fr (5-11, 198)

SS

Junior
Rosegreen-Sr (6-0, 196)

Donnay
Young-Sr (6-0, 204)

FS

Will
Herring-So (6-4, 212)

Tony
Bell-Fr (6-2, 210)

P

Kody
Bliss-So (5-11, 193)

John
Vaughn-So (6-1, 196)

PRONUNCIATION
GUIDE

Karibi
Dede....KA-REE-BE

Mayo
Sowell.... SOW-ELL

2004
SPECIAL TEAMS

Kicker
Going 11-for-19 on FGAs will rob any coach of confidence,
which forces Tuberville to go for fourth downs much
more often than he would have liked (23). Still, senior
Phillip Yost, that's Phillip Yost of the school record-tying
57-yard FG, returns a big enough leg to give Tiger fans
hope that his 55% accuracy will improve.

Punter
Sophomore Kody Bliss improved as 2003 went on, including
a 54.7 yards per punt average against ULM, with every
one being downed inside the 20. His tremendous upside
and Auburn's improved punt coverage will mean the 38.6
net punting average is to be even better.

Return
Game
Junior Devin Aromshodu is the speedster on kick returns
and will be among the SEC's elite return men. Tre Smith
will focus on improving his low punt return average
after Auburn was near the bottom of the SEC. Special
teams have hurt Auburn at critical times the past couple
years. With one of the worst kickoff coverage units
as well, the coaches better get to work in spring so
it doesn't cost them again.

OFFENSIVE
DEVELOPMENTS
We're going to jump right out and say that lefty QB
Brandon Cox will see time by mid-season, assuming
Jason Campbell doesn't produce or the Tigers
have at least two losses at the half-way mark. Cox showed
great command of his throws and managed the offense
really well. With Campbell leaving next year and Cox
only a freshman, Tuberville will want to get the future
of Tiger football real-game experience. But again, that's
only if (one of) the aforementioned conditions are presented...
Cadillac Williams didn't do anything to disappoint
this spring, and, as predicted, will be one of the nation's
premier RBs. Fellow-RB Kenny Irons (transfer
from South Carolina) had an impressive showing too...
The wide receivers will give the QB a reliable cast,
a fact illustrated in the spring. We mean it - this
is one of the deepest, most talented groups in the SEC!!

DEFENSIVE
DEVELOPMENTS
The overall defensive effort has, so far this spring,
been pretty weak - in fact utterly disgusting to Auburn
coaches. Defensive coordinator Gene Chizik admitted
"we were terrible". Tuberville has challenged
this group to step up this fall and lay/take claim as
the strength of this team. We think they will. The bright
spots came from LB, where Anatarrious and Travis
Williams played well, especially against the run...DE
Stanley McClover was the defensive MVP of the
spring, giving the Tigers a force on the front line.
As of now, though, he is about the only one... SS Junior
Rosegreen was a plus in the secondary, but the way
things are going defensively, he may be the leading
tackler on this team... LB LaMarcus Rowell has
left the team, citing a desire to play somewhere else.